"Every intellectual effort is bent toward committing the most diversified violations upon the human being." (Octave Mirbeau, The Torture Garden)

"I like chance meetings - life is full of them. Everyday, without realizing it, I pass people whom I should know. At this moment, in this cafe, we're sitting next to strangers. Everyone will get up, leave, and go on their own way. And they'll never meet again. And if they do, they won't realize that it's not for the first time." (Krzysztof Kieslowski)

"My symbol for hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or a thoroughly nasty business office." (Clive Staples Lewis, from the Preface to The Screwtape Letters)